Calls are being made to put enforcement cameras in The Drapery in Northampton after bus drivers told the Chron cars are flouting the restrictions so often it is causing regular gridlock.

Regular road users are not allowed to drive down The Drapery and loading is not permitted between the hours of 10am, and 4pm to allow buses to flow smoothly along the street and to decrease the amount of traffic around North Gate bus station.

But last week the station was gridlocked at rush hour almost every night of the week. Now, there are calls for the restrictions to be extended.

One bus driver, who did not wish to be named, said backlogs were still being created regularly by cars driving along The Drapery illegally, because the restrictions are not being enforced.

“What happens is the cars come down here and buses can’t keep a nice steady pace,” the bus driver said.

“They park by McDonald’s and if a car blocks one of the bus stops it backs up all the way through the lights and onto Sheep Street.

“If you were to stand there for five minutes you would probably count 15 cars every five minutes.

“Instead of just looking out for buses and pedestrians - all the time you are looking out for cars as well.”

The bus driver believes people are flouting the rules increasingly more because the driving restrictions are not being enforced.

Numberplate recognition technology is regularly used by councils around the country to prevent drivers from straying into bus lanes. The automated system then sends out fines to the culprits.

The bus drivers the Chron spoke to all felt this should be installed along The Drapery. Better signage and a police presence on the road would also help ease matters, they said.

“They could try it for three weeks and see how smooth it runs,” said the bus driver the Chron made contact with.

“Coming up to Christmas it’s going to be chaos every night.”

Sources said the regular jams around North Gate are also taking their toll on the drivers, some of whom are having to wait in queues along The Drapery for 90 minutes or more.

The problem is exacerbated by motorists leaving the nearby Mayorhold car park at around 5pm.

“They (bus drivers) are working over their driving hours, over their working day because of the queues,” the driver said. “And it is happening every night now.”

Northamptonshire County Council says it would have to look into the cost of fitting a number plate recognition camera.

A spokesman said: “Vehicle access to The Drapery, Northampton, is prohibited to vehicles with the exception of buses and taxis, with any enforcement carried out by the police.

“Any unauthorised parking in The Drapery is a civil offence, with enforcement carried out by the county council. Patrols take place regularly and penalty charge notices are issued as appropriate.

“Cameras have been used elsewhere in the UK to enforce illegal use of bus lanes but like implementing any scheme – this would need to be considered against budgets available.”

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Forty-two children in Northamptonshire were victims of trafficking, the second highest number in the UK, according to a new report published by a charity.

The figures were revealed in a nationwide report by ECPAT UK and Missing People and showed the county was second only to Thurrock for the number of children identified as victims or suspected victims of trafficking.

Responding to the findings, the NSPCC said the figures for Northamptonshire were very worrying.

“It is concerning that Northamptonshire was identified as a local authority with one of the highest numbers of children who were trafficked in the UK last year,” a spokesman for the charity said.

“The report reflects our own concerns that child trafficking is an increasing problem not just in Northamptonshire but in the whole of the UK. The number of children referred to the NSPCC’s Child Trafficking Advice Centre has increased by 96 per cent since 2007/08.

“And the system is already facing challenges – the Association of Directors of Children’s Services has warned that a national shortage of foster carers is putting enormous pressure on a system that has already seen the number of child migrants coming to the UK double in the last two years alone.

“Many of these children are at grave risk of harm, including sexual and criminal exploitation. Allowing any child to slip under the radar and be put in harm’s way while in the UK’s care is unacceptable.”

ECPAT UK’s report also highlighted the number of trafficked and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children going missing from care in the UK was at an “alarmingly high rate”.

The study found that more than a quarter of all trafficked children and over 500 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children went missing at least once in the year to September 2015, while 207 have not been found.

Chloe Setter, Head of Advocacy, Policy & Campaigns, ECPAT UK, said: “For too long, children who are at risk of exploitation, or who have been trafficked, have gone missing from care – sometimes repeatedly, sometimes forever. It is a national disgrace that this problem has remained neglected and these children rendered invisible by poor data collection and national coordination.”

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Developers who failed to gain full planning permission for a 200-home scheme on land in Northampton three years ago because they did not own all of it have returned again with a smaller scheme.

Bovis Homes Limited first applied to build the houses on land at Lancaster Way, Buckingham Fields, back in 2012.

The scheme was approved in principle by Northampton Borough Council - but the company could not prove it had “good title” to a swathe of unregistered land there.

The proposals became the subject of a protest by residents of Lancaster Way, who were concerned that part of the development site was not owned by Bovis Homes, including one piece of land which contained a deep well.

Now the developer and Xcite Projects Limited have returned with a smaller scheme for 139 homes.

The application will be heard by Northampton Borough Council’s planning committee on Tuesday, November 22 and is recommended for approval.

A report by the authority states: “The proposed development, subject to conditions, represents an acceptable land use which would contribute towards the council’s five-year housing supply.”

The application site is about 12 acres and was previously used for keeping animals, while only a small part was used as allotments, now long overgrown.

The development would also includes 341 car parking spaces, including those contained within garages.

But some fear the amount of traffic the proposal would bring.

Lynne Sewell, of Towton Court, said: “Buckingham Fields has only one road in and out which is currently suitable for the number of houses on the estate,

“An increase in vehicles will not only add additional queues to get out of the estate but also add to the ever increasing queues going up

Towcester Road.”

Others are concerned that a planned roundabout for the scheme sits on one of the only patches of green land around Lancaster Way, which is a popular play-spot for children.

According to Northampton Borough Council the landowners and the developers have progressed in registering parts of the land.

However as there are still some outstanding plots the developers do not own, the scheme has had to be reduced to ensure no development takes place in these areas.

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Plans for Daventry’s future housing growth went on display to the public for the first time.

Developers Davidsons plus Barratt and David Wilson Homes, along with planners Pegasus, have been drawing up designs for the ‘Daventry North East Sustainable Urban Extension’ (SUE).

Their work so far on the concept masterplan went on display in Daventry Library on Friday and Saturday for the public to see and add their knowledge to.

The proposals are set to be finalised shortly after the new year when a planning application is lodged.

The SUE site lies along the B4036 between Daventry and the A5 Long Buckby crossroads. Previously the land was known as Church Fields.

The principle of using the site for the town’s growth has been agreed in the district’s core strategy.

The district council’s plan says the site must provide 4,000 new homes, build primary schools, provide a site for a secondary school, better links to the town centre, Southbrook, and to Long Buckby Station, an extension to Daventry Country Park, and that a corridor of land must be left to provide space for the canal arm – although that does not mean the canal has to be built.

The developers are now working on a masterplan that delivers the points set out by DDC.

Key points are that the A5 junction could be replaced by a roundabout, the developers are seeking to bury the overhead power lines across their site and continue them underground up to the Norton Road substation, and the new development will include two ‘local centres’ with shops and other facilities. One of these centres is to be positioned close to the Norton Road end of the site to benefit the existing homes in the area.

Anyone who missed the displays can view the work done so far at www.daventrynortheast.co.uk. Comments can be made via the website until November 27.

The results of the consultation will be looked at and then presented in December to a workshop comprised to councillors from Welton, Norton, Daventry, DDC and the county council.

The developers will then review and finalise their plans ahead of applying for planning permission. Work could start on site as early as late 2018.

Time travel is easier than you think when Rockingham Castle will transport visitors back more than 150 years with a special festive event.

It’s Christmas Eve 1849 and excitement ripples through the Castle. The trees are decorated, the silver is shining in the Great Hall, the kitchen is smelling delicious and the gifts are nestled beneath candlelit boughs.

The Watson family are celebrating and their servants are stealing a moment to take you around the Castle in all its festive glory. Will you meet the butler at the door or a footman lighting candles for dinner? Will the housekeeper be sewing last minute gifts in the Panel Room or perhaps the governess will be tidying away toys in the Long Gallery?

Come and experience the magic of Christmas in this unique setting sure to get all the family in the mood for festive fun.

It runs from Monday to Friday November 21 to 25. The first tour of the Castle at 11am. Tours run every 15 minutes throughout the day with the last tour at 7.30pm.

For additional information or to book tickets for the tours call 01536 770240 or visit www.rockinghamcastle.com.

There will be mayhem involving the mob coming to a theatre in Northampton.

Abbey Community Theatre’s latest production Dying to Meet You and can be seen at the Abbey Centre in East Hunsbury from Thursday to Saturday November 24 to 26.

Lamenting the loss of their last child moving out of the family home, Richard and Barbara Taylor independently offer lodgings to two different people.

Richard’s lodger is an unlucky-in-love trainee undertaker, and Barbara’s is a young Italian girl with Mafia connections.

His attempts to keep his lodger’s morbid occupation from Barbara, with the help of his neighbour Tom, lead to many hilarious and farcical situations involving misunderstandings and mistaken identity! Then a mysterious Italian turns up carrying a violin case…

Tickets for the show and are available for £7 for adults and £3 for children. To reserve tickets contact Pat Johnson on 01604 761418 or by calling the Abbey Centre on 01604 767568 (ext.1) or visit www.abbeycommunitytheatre.co.uk.

A town centre hotel which has been boarded up for months will be covered in pictures to make it more marketable.

The Royal Hotel, off Market Place, has sat in a poor state of repair for some time since Kettering Council stopped using it as temporary accomodation.

Its site opposite the restaurant quarter makes it a prime location - but also makes its current appearance even more noticeable.

Kettering Council’s portfolio holder for town centres, Cllr Mark Dearing (Con, Desborough Loatland), hopes the move will make it more attractive to potential buyers.

He said: “The Royal Hotel is in private ownership and we are working with the owners to help market it.

“Because of its prominence in the town we are going to have pictures put on the windows.

“They’ll probably be of what it looked like, the old type windows that would have been there.

“I haven’t got the designs yet but we wanted to just to cover up the boardings.”

Ealier this year, Kettering Civic Society chairman Paul Ansell said the closure of the hotel was ”a great shame”.

Cllr Dearing said he hoped it will be used again in the future.

He said: “It’s a lovely old building and this will take away [from] the pure fact that it’s empty.

“While it’s marketable hopefully something can be done.”

A six-year-old girl has launched a campaign to help homeless people as the nights start to turn cold.

Higham Ferrers Nursery and Infant School pupil Jenna Bevan noticed a homeless person earlier this year and started to ask her mum questions about the troubles they face.

She decided to donate items to a homeless shelter, but now she wants more people to help her with her ‘Keep Them Warm’ campaign.

Jenna’s mum Natalie Dean said: “She has been asking regularly about how people become homeless, where they sleep, how they get food and how they keep warm.

“As the weather has turned cold she has got quite upset about them being too cold.

“We have chatted about it and she wants to donate some ‘warm things’ for them.

“I have contacted our local Hope Centre and they will be arranging a tour of their shelter for her so she can see how they help.”

Jenna was given a ‘warm list’ by the Hope Centre in Northampton and has already started collecting items.

SHe is also fundraising online to buy items to take to shelters at the end of the month.

The page has already raised almost £100 but she is hoping to raise even more.

Mum Natalie said: “We want to go along with as many items as possible to pass on to make this winter a little easier for some.

“On November 30 any money we’ve raised will be used to go and buy bits and bobs to take to the shelter.

“I’m incredibly proud of Jenna and how she wants to help people who aren’t as fortunate as us.”

Items that Jenna is looking for people to donate include: clothing, thermals, boots rucksacks, hot water bottles, sleeping bags, dried food, toiletries, other essentials and Christmas sweets and treats.

If you can donate items, contact Natalie by emailing nldean42@yahoo.co.uk or via the campaign’s Facebook page to arrange collection in Northants.

To donate money to Jenna’s campaign online to help her buy items, click here.

Cobblers boss Rob Page will run the rule over Gaby Zakuani in training before deciding whether to recall the central defender to play against his former Peterborough United team-mates in Saturday’s big derby date at Sixfields .

Zakuani missed the weekend trip to Gillingham as he was on international duty, captaining DR Congo to a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Guinea on Sunday evening.

The 30-year-old will be desperate to win back his place to play against Posh having spent more than six seasons at London Road, but Page is keeping his cards close to his chest on what his selection will be.

Zakuani has missed two previous matches due to international duty this season, against Milton Keynes Dons in September and then against Scunthorpe United in October, and on both occasions he had to make do with a place on the bench in the following fixtures, against Chesterfield and Millwall respectively.

Lewin Nyatanga certainly impressed alongside league ever-present Zander Diamond in Zakuani’s absence at Gillingham last week, as he has done on previous occasions too, and has made it clear he is going to be battling very hard to keep his place in the first team.

Zakuani has been very influential whenever he has played though, and the Cobblers have lost just two of the 11 league one games he has started this season - the 3-0 loss to Posh and the 3-2 defeat to Bristol Rovers, when he was sent off with the score at 2-2.

It is going to be a difficult selection decision for Page, but one he welcomes.

“We will have a look at Gaby,” said the Town boss. “Obviously he has done a lot of travelling, and we will have to take that into consideration.

“We will see how he is, and he didn’t look right the last time he came back.

“We will have a look at that training, but I though Lewin and Zander were excellent on Saturday, so it is a great problem to have.

“We know Gaby’s qualities, it is just whether the travelling has had an impact on him.

“If we feel the right thing is to put him back in, then we will consider it.”

A court victory by a Northamptonshire woman has so far seen 900 cared-for adults being given full or partial refunds of their County Council fees.

It follows a High Court case in March 2015, which saw a judge rule that the way County Hall worked out charges was legally flawed and that a 35-year-old woman with severe learning disabilities (referred to as KM) had paid too much for her care as a result.

Latest figures from Northamptonshire County Council show it reviewed 1,200 cases and made changes for about 900 people.

A spokeswoman said: “The council made changes to the charging policy in May 2015. The changes meant that some service users were given a higher allowance in the financial assessment.”

Furthermore, all of those who had been charged care fees but shouldn’t have been have now been given back at least some money.

The spokeswoman said: “The charges were either refunded or the subsequent credit was offset against current or future invoices.”

At the time of the case, Mr Justice Gilbart said the council’s former method of calculating charges under its “fairer contributions policy” was legally flawed and “adds about one third to the current level of contribution”.

Predicting the effect on cared-for people in Northamptonshire, the judge said the policy may affect large numbers of people whose contributions “are also being exaggerated through NCC’s failure to apply the national guidance or to make its policy sufficiently clear”.

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A real ale pub in Northampton is so special the new owner can’t bear to change a thing.

Gary Burlinson, who paid around £600,000 for the freehold of The Malt Shovel Tavern in Bridge Street, said so little needed altering he kept all the existing staff and manager Kirsty Bowen (and continued on as normal.

He said: “I’ve been coming here for 17 years and I know how good it is.

“There was nothing wrong apart from tiny things around the edges.

“The customers love it and Mike is only passing it on as he’s retiring after 20 years. I should actually put up a banner for customers saying, ‘Don’t worry, nothing is changing.’”

The purchase of the Malt Shovel makes it Burlinson Inns’s 11th pub and comes eight months after the cask ale house was first offered for sale for £750,000.

The present pub was built on the site in 1914 after the previous one was demolished. It has had a number of name changes, having been called the The Tudor House in 1983 and Barney Rubbles .

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Investigations are underway into the cause of last night's fire at Wicksteed Park in Kettering.

Fire crews were called to the boathouse at the park at 7.22pm on Tuesday night. Crews from Kettering, Burton Latimer, Rothwell and Wellingborough attended and the blaze was brought under control by 10.30pm. Residents had been advised last night to keep windows closed due to the smoke from the blaze.

The last crew left at 1.23am.

A spokesman for the park said: “The fire brigade were alerted by a park security guard who saw smoke coming out of the 1920s boathouse located at the lakeside yesterday evening.

“The boathouse and the lakeside attractions are currently closed for winter and the incident will not affect the day-to-day running of the park and the attractions which are open during the winter months.

“We are currently working with the fire brigade to determine the cause of the fire and have fenced off the area for safety reasons.

“The boathouse contains paddle boats, canoes and other equipment associated with the lakeside attractions.

“We are currently assessing the extent of the damage to the building and the equipment which was stored in it.

“We hope to have all the lakeside attractions up and running again in time for their scheduled re-opening next spring.”

Northampton punk trio Spring Park’s new EP, Blow UP Your TV! Is out now on the band’s own Sewer Rat Records label.

The EP, which shares a name with the title track, was written out of anger from watching Donald Trump’s journey to the White House.

Guitarist Stew Page said: “The song is Spring Parks’ middle finger to the Republican nominee and the things he stands for.

“In the song we try to get the message across that despite having all the money in the world true power lays with the people.” The EP also features the tracks Dark Side.

The four-track EP was recorded and produced by the band and mixed by Ed Sokolowski at EAS studios.

Bassist Ant said: “This was the first song that we all had a part in the writing process and it’s probably our favourite song to play live.

The EP also includes the tracks Shipwrecks and Cease Fire.

“I wrote the lyrics to Cease Fire as our tribute to the young Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi who was found washed up on a beach in 2015,” explains Page.

“It’s our protest song and our stand against war.”

The EP artwork shows various Star Wars ships and the Death Star blowing up a giant TV displaying an image of Trump.

Spring Park play The Bear in Northampton on Friday, November 18. Visit www.facebook.com/springparkuk

The 22-year-old twins Catherine and Lizzy made history with their new album Cartwheels when it reached the top spot in the UK album charts this year - the first ever UK country act to achieve the feat.
On top of that achievement, the album stayed in the top five for three weeks.
Ward Thomas were barely out of their teens when they became country crossover stars with the independently debut From Where We Stand.
The album went onto sell more than 25,000 copies in the UK.
Written in Nashville in 2014, Cartwheels was the song that kick started the entire writing process for the album.
It tells the sad tale of someone who refuses to accept that a relationship is over, brought to life by the sisters’ stripped back vocals and beguiling harmonies. They will headline the Roadmender in on Tuesday, May 23. Tickets cost £17 before fees and are on sale now via http://bit.ly/2f4Vr3P.

Record-breakers and chart-toppers Ward Thomas head to Northampton next year as part of a huge UK tour.

The 22-year-old twins Catherine and Lizzy made history with their new album Cartwheels when it reached the top spot in the UK album charts this year - the first ever UK country act to achieve the feat.

On top of that achievement, the album stayed in the top five for three weeks.

Ward Thomas were barely out of their teens when they became country crossover stars with the independently debut From Where We Stand.

The album went onto sell more than 25,000 copies in the UK.

Written in Nashville in 2014, Cartwheels was the song that kick started the entire writing process for the album.

It tells the sad tale of someone who refuses to accept that a relationship is over, brought to life by the sisters’ stripped back vocals and beguiling harmonies. They will headline the Roadmender in on Tuesday, May 23. Tickets cost £17 before fees and are on sale now via http://bit.ly/2f4Vr3P.

It is time to cheer for the heores and boo and hiss at dastardly villains as pantomimes and Christmas shows hit the south Midlands region.

We present the biggest and the best Christmas shows in the handy guide.

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NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

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WHAT: Jack and the Beanstalk

WHERE: Royal and Derngate, Northampton - Derngate stage

DATE: Friday, December 9 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: Between £11 and £30

STARS: Blue’s Simon Webbe stars as Jack while both Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey who won Britain’s Got Talent will appear

TICKETS: Box Office - 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk

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WHAT: Peter and the Starcatcher

WHERE: Royal and Derngate, Northampton - Royal stage

DATE: Tuesday November 29 to Saturday December 31.

HOW MUCH: Between £10 and £26

TICKETS: Box Office - 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk

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WHAT: Second Star To The Right

WHERE: Royal and Derngate, Northampton - Underground stage

DATE: Friday, December 2 to Saturday January 7

HOW MUCH: From £9.50

TICKETS: Box Office - 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk

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WHAT: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

WHERE: The Deco Theatre, Northampton

DATE: Friday December 9 to Thursday, December 29

HOW MUCH: From £10

STARS: Coronation Street’s Mick Cohcrane returns from last year as does Kim Taylforth. The Gadget Show presenter David McCleland will appear.

TICKETS: Box Office - 01604 622749 or visit www.thedeco.co.uk

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WHAT: Beauty and the Beast

WHERE: The Lighthouse Theatre, Kettering

DATE: Saturday December 10 to Monday January 2

HOW MUCH: Between £12 and £17.50

STARS: Eastenders star Cheryl Fergison stars as the evil Malevolent.

TICKETS: Box Office - 01536 414141 or visit www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

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WHAT: A Christmas Carol

WHERE: The Core at Corby Cube

DATE: Thursday December 8 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: From £9 to £13.50

TICKETS: Box Office - 01536 470470 or visit www.thecorecorby.com

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WHAT: The Russian Ice Stars present Snow White on Ice

WHERE: The Castle, Wellingborough

DATE: Wednesday December 14 to Friday December 30

HOW MUCH: From £18

TICKETS: Box Office - 01933 270007 or visit www.castletheatre.co.uk

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

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WHAT: Dick Whittington

WHERE: Milton Keynes Theatre

DATE: Thursday December 8 to Sunday, January 15

HOW MUCH: Between £14 and £35

STARS: Eastenders actress Samantha Womack plays the villainous Queen Rat. X Factor’s Stacey Solomon plays Fairy Bowbells and Kev Orkian returns to the venue.

TICKETS: Box Office - 0844 871 7652 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes

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WHAT: Aladdin

WHERE: The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

DATE: Friday December 9 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: Between £12 and £31.50

STARS: Another former Eastenders star, Michelle Collins, appears alongside The Only Way is Essex’s Jasmine Walia. Aylesbury pantomime regular Andy Collins returns

TICKETS: Box Office - 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/aylesbury

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WHAT: Cinderella

WHERE: Wycombe Swan Theatre

DATE: Saturday December 10 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: Between £20 and £35

STARS: Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson appears alongside dancer Louie Spencer and comedian Bobby Davro.

TICKETS: Box Office - 01494 512 000 or visit www.wycombeswan.co.uk

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BEDFORDSHIRE

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WHAT: Aladdin

WHERE: The Grove Theatre, Dunstable

DATE: Thursday December 8 to Monday January 2

HOW MUCH: From £15.50

STARS: Coronation Street’s notorious villian Brian Capron plays Abanazar

TICKETS: Box Office - 01582 60 20 80 or visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk

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WHAT: Cinderella

WHERE: The Corn Exchange, Bedford

DATE: Wednesday December 28 to Monday January 2

HOW MUCH: From £11

TICKETS: Box Office - 01234 718044 or visit www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

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WARWICKSHIRE

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WHAT: Beauty and the Beast

WHERE: Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

DATE: Saturday December 3 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: From £15.50

TICKETS: Box Office - 01926 334 418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk

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WHAT: Dick Whittington

WHERE: The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

DATE: Wednesday, November 23 to Saturday, January 7

HOW MUCH: Between £10.25 and £22.25

TICKETS: Box Office - 024 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk

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WHAT: Dick Whittingtom

WHERE: Rugby Theatre

DATE: Friday January 13 to Sunday January 22

HOW MUCH: £11

TICKETS: Box office 01788 541234 or visit www.rugbytheatre.co.uk

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WHAT: Red Riding Hood

WHERE: Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth

DATE: Sunday December 18 to Saturday December 31

HOW MUCH: £9.50 full price, £8.50 for concessions and members

TICKETS: 01926 856548 or visit www.talismantheatre.co.uk

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OXFORDSHIRE

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WHAT: Robinson Crusoe and the Pirate Queen

WHERE: The Theatre, Chipping Norton

DATE: Tuesday November 15 to Sunday January 8

HOW MUCH: From £11

TICKETS: Box Office - 01608 642350 or visit www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk

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WHAT: Cinderella

WHERE: Oxford Playhouse

DATE: Friday November 25 to Sunday January 8

HOW MUCH: Between £15 and £27

TICKETS: Box Office - 01865 305305 or visit www.oxfordplayhouse.com

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LEICESTERSHIRE

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WHAT: Jack and the Beanstalk

WHERE: De Montfort Hall, Leicester

DATE: Saturday December 10 to Tuesday January 3

HOW MUCH: From £9.50

STARS: The X Factor winner Sam Bailey returns to her home town.

TICKETS: Box Office - 0116 233 3111 or visit www.demontforthall.co.uk

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WHAT: Grease

WHERE: The Curve, Leicester

DATE: Saturday November 26 to Saturday January 21

HOW MUCH: Between £10 and £45

TICKETS: Box Office - 0116 242 3595 or visit www.curveonline.co.uk

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WHAT: Roald Dahl’s The Twits

WHERE: The Curve, Leicester

DATE: Saturday December 10 to Saturday January 21

HOW MUCH: Between £12 and £16

TICKETS: Box Office - 0116 242 3595 or visit www.curveonline.co.uk 


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HERTFORDSHIRE

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WHAT: Peter Pan

WHERE: Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage

DATE: Friday November 25 to Sunday January 22

HOW MUCH: From £16

STARS: Emmerdale’s Tom Lister stars in the show

TICKETS: Box Office - 01438 363200 or visit www.gordon-craig.co.uk

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WHAT: Show White and the Seven Dwarves

WHERE: Alban Arena, St Albans

DATE: Thursday December 8 to Sunday, January 8

HOW MUCH: From £20.25

STARS: Eastenders star Rita Simons appears

TICKETS: Box Office - 01727 844488 or visit www.alban-arena.co.uk

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Are there any other pantomimes going on in and around the seven counties? Please email full details to steve.mills@jpress.co.uk and we’ll add them to this list.

Thieves targeted a village home near Northampton this week and stole a string of valuable items.

A Longines watch, jewellery and a camera were among items stolen from a house in Towcester Road, Milton Malsor, earlier this week.

Thieves broke in to the house sometime between 7.30am and 3.30pm on Monday.

They stole various items including a Longines watch, a diamond ring, a sapphire ring, an air rifle, a Canon 700D DSLR camera and a bag of old coins.

Officers are appealing for witnesses, or anyone who may have any information about the stolen property, to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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A 22-year-old woman was left with serious injuries after being hit by a car along the A45 near Northampton yesterday.

The collision happened at about 2.15pm on the eastbound carriageway near junction 15 of the M1 near Collingtree, when a silver Audi A3, driven by a 53-year-old man, was in collision with the pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a 22-year-old woman from Far Cotton, was taken by air ambulance to University Hospital Coventry with serious injuries.

Witnesses, or anyone with information about the collision, are asked to contact the Northamptonshire Police Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

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Police are asking the public to help find a man who has been missing for nearly a week.

Stephen Timms, 54, was last seen outside St Clements Court, Highfield Road, Kettering between 4 and 5pm on Thursday, November 10.

Mr Timms, pictured, is 5ft 5in, of medium build and likely to have a full, grey beard. He is also likely to be wearing a long brown trench coat and a dark coloured woolly beanie hat.

Mr Timms himself, or anyone who may have seen him, is asked to contact police immediately on 101.

The personal details of hundreds of millions of users of adult meet-up websites have been exposed following the hacking of AdultFriendFinder and related sites.

The total of 412 million accounts includes 5.2 million UK email addresses, as well as associated information which could prove useful such as purchasing data.

The security breach occurred in October at the site’s parent company, California-based Friend Finder Networks. Other sites which may have ben affected include Cams.com, Penthouse.com, Stripshow.com and iCams.com.

The total includes information from 15 million accounts which had been deleted by users but which remained on the company’s servers and could stretch back as far as 20 years.

The latest leaking of personal data is a reminder of how vulnerable websites can be to attack, emphasised by the revelation that close to a million of the users whose data was compromised had used ‘123456’ as their password, with similar numerical combinations as well as ‘password’ and ‘qwerty’ also in the top 10.

ActionFraud - the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre - offered the following advice:

If you use the same password for AdultFriendFinder.com anywhere else on the internet, then change it immediately. Use three words which mean something to you but are random to others - this creates a password that is strong and more memorable.

The data taken in the breach includes email addresses and usernames, which could be used in future for phishing attempts. If you receive unsolicited emails never reply with personal details and don’t click on any links as you could end up downloading malware.

Be wary of anyone calling asking for personal information, bank details or passwords. If in doubt, just hang up.

For online safety advice visit www.getsafeonline.org and www.cyberaware.gov.uk.